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Jeff Johnson, the district’s Operations Director, presented to the board on the condition of the high school track and the stadium visitors’ side bleachers.

The track, which was resurfaced seven years ago, is wearing in spots and requiring more and more repairs. Due to wear, the surface is an uneven thickness and does not have an acceptable slope. After a full assessment, Kleingers Group recommends replacing the track soon. A replacement will last 20+ years, with resurfacing needed periodically.

The concrete bleachers in the high school stadium, found on the visitors’ side, have also required quite a few repairs in recent years. The concrete is at a point where it is absorbing water, causing structural concerns. Roberts Engineering inspects the bleachers every year and says the rate of deterioration is increasing. They recommend replacing the structure or, at the least, coating the exterior with Gunite to seal out the moisture.

After evaluating, Mr. Johnson believes replacing the track and bleachers is the most financially responsible approach. Additional repairs will end up being more expensive than investing in replacements. The working budget for these items is $267,000 for the track; $672,000 for the bleachers (includes demo of old bleachers; 2,000 seat fully enclosed bleachers; press box; fence around bleachers).

The board discussed these two projects at the February meeting. Both items will be funded through the Permanent Improvement Fund, which is set aside specifically for repairs such as these. Mr. Johnson is continuing to gather information and look at options for both; he will present a final recommendation at the March board meeting.

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In 2010, new learning standards for English/language arts and mathematics were adopted by the state of Ohio. Six years into implementation of these standards, the state has reviewed them and made recommendations that “tweak” the standards based on real-life experience. Continue reading →

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A topic of fervent conversation as Governor Kasich’s new budget recommendations are released has been the idea that teachers perform “externships” as part of their license renewal process. While the details are not fleshed out, the idea would be that teachers spend a certain amount of time shadowing at a business to learn what skills are needed for students as they graduate and enter the workforce. Continue reading →